PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Riding a four-game winning streak, Rutgers baseball will host its first Big Ten series at Bainton Field this weekend versus Ohio State. The Scarlet Knights have won their last 16 home games, the second-longest active streak of its kind in the nation.

All three games will be broadcast live on BTN Plus with Danny Breslauer and Jason Goldstein on the call. Click here for subscription information. WRSU will provide radio coverage at 88.7 FM.

SCOUTING RUTGERS
The Scarlet Knights (7-14, 2-1) are set to host their first series of the season after playing five weekends on the road, including a series win at Purdue most recently. RU has won 10 of its last 12 conference games overall dating back to last season, also carrying a nine-game winning streak at Bainton Field against league competition.

Rutgers is coming off a pair of midweek victories at Bainton Field to start a 10-game homestand. The team topped NJIT, 5-3, Tuesday behind 5.2 innings pitched by sophomore Kevin Baxter (Waterford, N.J.) and scoreless relief by sophomores Colin Bohnert (West Caldwell, N.J.) and Kyle Driscoll (Toms River, N.J.). Sophomore Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) led the offensive charge with three RBIs. Then on a rainy Wednesday, Rutgers broke open a 3-3 game against Rider with five runs on five hits in the fifth inning. Senior Vinny Zarrillo (Forked River, N.J.) had his 19th career game with at least three hits, while senior Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) drew three walks. Freshman John O'Reilly (Northvale, N.J.) picked up his third win of the season in relief.

The offense has collected double-digit hits in four of the past five games, including hitting a league-best .314 during the opening weekend of Big Ten play at Purdue. Freshman Milo Freeman (Millburn, N.J.) currently leads the bats with a .366 average in 17 games, going 5-for-6 versus the Boilermakers. Marcinczyk is closely behind at .351, while slugging at a .584 clip (fourth in the Big Ten). The outfielder has collected a hit in 13 of the last 15 games and has reached safely during each contest in that stretch. The number-two hitter, D'Annunzio has a team-high seven steals and has been on base in the last 11 games. In addition, junior Chris Suseck (Flemington, N.J.) is tied for the early Big Ten lead with a .545 average in league games.

On the mound, junior Mark McCoy (Barnegat, N.J.) will make the start in the Friday game for the second consecutive week. The left-hander worked into the seventh inning last time out. Fellow junior lefty Howie Brey (Middletown, N.J.) will follow in the rotation after earning his first win at Purdue, allowing just one run and three hits over seven innings. Slotting into Sunday, sophomore Gaby Rosa (Perth Amboy, N.J.) returned to his form of last year against the Boilermakers with one run and three hits permitted over six. He induced 11 outs through the air, having led the American last year with 15.01 per outing.

Senior Jon Young (Old Bridge, N.J.) and freshman Ryan Wares (Howell, N.J.) lead the staff with eight appearances, while O'Reilly has worked to a 2.75 ERA. The staff has pitched to a 1.75 ERA and .214 average against as a group during the four-game winning streak.

NOTABLE
The Scarlet Knights were the only team in the Big Ten to win a conference series away from their home field last weekend ... this is the earliest on the calendar Rutgers has hosted a weekend series since March 25-27, 2011 versus Louisville ... the offense has stolen 18 bases over the past eight games ... the defense turned seven double plays in the two recent midweek games ... RU has scored more times in the third inning than any other so far this season (22) ... the team is 5-2 collecting more hits than the opponent and 6-2 when logging 10 or more ... Zarrillo needs 13 hits to reach 200 for his career ... Rutgers has played seven games against a ranked opponent, having the No. 30 strength of schedule nationally by Boyd's World ... thirty-two of the 35 players on the roster hail from the state of New Jersey.

SCOUTING OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes (16-6, 2-1) are coming off a 9-2 homestand, including a series victory over Michigan State. The Spartans took game one, 3-2, but Ohio State recovered to win 6-4 and 3-0 to take the weekend. Led by a 0.94 ERA by Sunday starter Ryan Riga, the pitching staff has worked to a 2.64 ERA for the season. Craig Nenning leads the offense with a .366 average, as the team has slugged 14 home runs.

Head coach Greg Beals is in his fifth season at the helm of the program. Click here for the Ohio State weekend preview.

THE SERIES
Ohio State will be making its first trip to Rutgers, but the teams have previously met on the diamond. The Buckeyes lead the series, 3-2, dating back to 1968 and won, 6-4, in the last meeting in a neutral site game played at Florida Atlantic in 2004.

UP NEXT
Rutgers will continue its 10-game homestand Tuesday with a 3 p.m. game versus Manhattan. The next Big Ten series will be against Minnesota at Bainton Field next weekend.

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